Jimi Hendrix=One hit wonder?

[Epic Reine 0]

I was watching VH1's "Top 100 One Hit Wonders" countdown and was very shocked to see Jimi Hendrix of all people on the list with "All Along The Watchtower". I can't imagine how a man who is considered by many to be the greatest guitarist of all time and is one of the most influential artists in history to have only one single hit. Surely this can't be true right?

 

And also, Faith No More was on the list to with "Epic" which is funny because their cover of "Easy" was just as big if not a bigger hit for them.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I was watching VH1's "Top 100 One Hit Wonders" countdown and was very shocked to see Jimi Hendrix of all people on the list with "All Along The Watchtower". I can't imagine how a man who is considered by many to be the greatest guitarist of all time and is one of the most influential artists in history to have only one single hit. Surely this can't be true right?

 

And also, Faith No More was on the list to with "Epic" which is funny because their cover of "Easy" was just as big if not a bigger hit for them.

 

Who came first? Right Said Fred, Vanilla Ice, or Frankie Goes to Hollywood?

[Epic Reine 0]

The Macarena I believe.

Edited December 12, 2005 by CBenoit

[Guest clockworkraven]

What's worse is that it's not really his song, anyway.

[snuffbox 0]

The Grateful Dead (who have released several greatest-hits comps and boxed sets) are also a one-hit wonder. They are also one of the biggest touring acts in history.

[Annabelle 0]

What's worse is that it's not really his song, anyway.

 

yea it is. dylan has said so himself.

 

and anyone who takes musical advice from the vh1 & their talking head panel outta is a fool

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Are we talking in terms of charts or in terms of careers? I always thought one hit wonders were bands/singers that were hot for maybe a year before fading into pretty much nothing.

[Guest]

That's what it's supposed to mean, but the lesson here is to not listen to VH1 regarding music.

[snuffbox 0]

What's worse is that it's not really his song, anyway.

 

yea it is. dylan has said so himself.

 

and anyone who takes musical advice from the vh1 & their talking head panel outta is a fool

 

Neil Young does it Jimi-style when he covers it live too.

[Guest Coffey]

PURPLE HAZE? The Wind Cries Mary? Foxy Lady? Voodoo Chile? Seriously.

[spiny norman 0]

I always thought Voodoo Chile was his only chart success, anyway?

 

Something I've wanted to know - would Sinead O'Connor be considered a one hit wonder?

[2GOLD 0]

Getting music advice from VH1 or MTV is a sign you have zero working brain cells.

Hendrix a one hit wonder? Wow, what's next? John Mayer for greatest artist of the decade?

[Matt Young 0]

There are plenty of artists who have put out tons of great shit and never had a single hit. As much as I love a lot of mainstream music, a lot of it is pure shit. Quality does not always equal success, and talent does not always breed recognition or accolades.

 

There I go, stating the obvious again.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

I do believe the criteria VH1 uses to determine a one hit wonder is whether or not they've had more than one song in the Top 10 Singles. As influential and/or successful as many bands are, and as great as they are, a lot of them haven't had many Top 10 hits.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Are we talking in terms of charts or in terms of careers? I always thought one hit wonders were bands/singers that were hot for maybe a year before fading into pretty much nothing.

I think that they use the literal definition of only having one major hit ... regardless of how stellar or not the career around said hit might have been.

 

And forgive my ignorance, but I have no idea if I've ever heard "Easy" (the Faith No More song that is referenced in this thread starter). To say anything but Epic is their biggest hit would be a stretch, IMHO.

[Black Lushus 0]

Epic was their biggest hit, but FNM's best work came after that with the "Angel Dust" album, one of my top 10 favorites...I don't recall Easy getting a lot of praise and airplay, honestly...

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I always thought Voodoo Chile was his only chart success, anyway?

 

Something I've wanted to know - would Sinead O'Connor be considered a one hit wonder?

By the definition of chart success, yeah. "Nothing Compares 2 U" was her only song that charted. That album was her only one to go platinum, too.

[snuffbox 0]

Are we talking in terms of charts or in terms of careers? I always thought one hit wonders were bands/singers that were hot for maybe a year before fading into pretty much nothing.

I think that they use the literal definition of only having one major hit ... regardless of how stellar or not the career around said hit might have been.

 

And forgive my ignorance, but I have no idea if I've ever heard "Easy" (the Faith No More song that is referenced in this thread starter). To say anything but Epic is their biggest hit would be a stretch, IMHO.

 

I think hes refering to their cover of Easy Like a Sunday Morning...which is currently on a commercial but I dont recall ever hearing it on the radio.

 

If FNM had anything else near the top10 or 40 or whatever vh1 went by its probably 'Falling to Pieces'.

[Black Lushus 0]

I thought "Midlife Crisis" and "Small Victory" got some significant play, no?

[nl5xsk1 0]

I think hes refering to their cover of Easy Like a Sunday Morning...which is currently on a commercial but I dont recall ever hearing it on the radio.

 

If FNM had anything else near the top10 or 40 or whatever vh1 went by its probably 'Falling to Pieces'.

Y'know, I had no idea that it was them doing that song on that commercial ... learn something new every day.

 

And, yeah, Falling to Pieces is the only other big FNM song I can think of. Well, that and "We Care a Lot" (which is probably not even the real name of that song, and wasn't that big of a hit regardless)

[Youth N Asia 0]

Too many people confuse SINGLES with HITS. Airplay doesn't mean it was a hit

[Red Baron 0]

All Along the Watch Tower was Hendrix only hit in the top 25 if I'm not mistaken.

 

Here's Hendrix songs listed to the top 100:

 

1967 Purple Haze 65

1968 All Along the Watchtower 20

1968 Crosstown Traffic 52

1968 Foxey Lady 67

1968 Up From The Skies 82

1971 Dolly Dagger 74

1971 Freedom 59

 

Chart information courtesy of Billboard.com © 2005 VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

FNM Easy was reached 58 on the Billboard 100 and Falling to Pieces went 92. Midlife Crisis went #1 on the Modern Rock List though.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Sinead O'Connor has a kickass song (I can't believe I just typed that) called "Put It On Me" from the A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 4: The Dream Master soundtrack. Dunno if it ever got popular.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

WHo got credit for Macarena? Los De Mar or Will Veloz?

 

*will be crying himself to sleep for knowing that.

 

And though we haven't seen the last of them(obligatory Simpsons reference), where was Dexie's Midnite Runners?

[5_moves_of_doom 0]

Last time I watched this (New Years a year ago) I remember Hendrix NOT making the list. I could have sworn that he was only mentioned in a little segment around the mid-point of the program where they said something like:

 

"What exactly qualifies as a one-hit-wonder? Well, technically, the term refers to only one mega-hit in a band's entire career. But the VH1 staff have decided to leave off a few one-hit-wonders for obvious reason. For instance, did you know that Jimi Hendrix is technically a one-hit-wonder? And Lou Reed's only mega-hit was 'Walk on the Wild Side'! The difference between these artists and the artists that made the list is obvious."

 

It was worded different than that but still my memory is pretty solid and I remember that. I also remember being surprised that Devo was listed for "Whip It." It kind of pisses me off that Devo are regarded by many as a one-hit-wonder along the lines of Flock of Seagulls.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

WHo got credit for Macarena? Los De Mar or Will Veloz?

 

*will be crying himself to sleep for knowing that.

 

And though we haven't seen the last of them(obligatory Simpsons reference), where was Dexie's Midnite Runners?

 

I believe they were in the top five somewhere...or at least in the top ten... I, however, am not sure whether or not they scored higher or lower than "Take On Me"

[snuffbox 0]

Last time I watched this (New Years a year ago) I remember Hendrix NOT making the list. I could have sworn that he was only mentioned in a little segment around the mid-point of the program where they said something like:

 

"What exactly qualifies as a one-hit-wonder? Well, technically, the term refers to only one mega-hit in a band's entire career. But the VH1 staff have decided to leave off a few one-hit-wonders for obvious reason. For instance, did you know that Jimi Hendrix is technically a one-hit-wonder? And Lou Reed's only mega-hit was 'Walk on the Wild Side'! The difference between these artists and the artists that made the list is obvious."

 

It was worded different than that but still my memory is pretty solid and I remember that. I also remember being surprised that Devo was listed for "Whip It." It kind of pisses me off that Devo are regarded by many as a one-hit-wonder along the lines of Flock of Seagulls.

 

I'm pretty sure I remember seeing Grateful Dead on the list when I watched it some time ago, which was dumber than Lou Reed or Hendrix. The Dead have one of the biggest fanbases in the history of music...even though the biggest star, Jerry Garcia, is gone they still draw at least 20,000 people to every show. If vh1 did a disclaimer to say they werent listing Jimi or Lou but still had the Grateful Dead then its even more retarded.

[The Czech Republic 0]

they still draw at least 20,000 people

Who, in turn, draw 20 billion flies

[Slayer 0]

Lou Reed's only mega-hit was 'Walk on the Wild Side'!

Was "Dirty Boulevard" considered a hit? I remember it getting good airplay in the late 80's

[nl5xsk1 0]

they still draw at least 20,000 people

Who, in turn, draw 20 billion flies

You're thinking old-school hippies ... new-school hippies are tweakers so end up keep the flies away with their constant scratching and sketching around.